Hirsi Ali sounds moderate, probably libertarian. She is a FORMER socialist, but grew quite disenchanted when the Dutch Socialist Party absolutely refused to take Islamism's threat seriously. It sounds like she's been a member of one of the Dutch conservative parties for a couple years.
Hirsi Ali is no Alan Keyes but she's no Jesse Jackson either. She opposes multicultural and bilingual programs, is perhaps Europe's harshest mainstream critic of Islam after Italy's Orianna Fallaci, she opposes foreign aid, and she regularly talks about the cost of Dutch social programs. Certainly an ally in our battle against jihadists. Condoleezza Rice would have her over for dinner.
More research on her, from the web.
-- "Mohammed is, judged by Western standards, a perverse man. A tyrant. If you don't do what he says, things won't go well for you. That makes me think of megalomaniac dictators in the Middle East, Osama Bin Laden, Ayatollah Khomeini and Saddam Hussein."
-- since last year, she's been waging a virtually solo campaign against Islamic schools in the Netherlands. Her center-right party leader got annoyed at her "solo runs" by discussing the issue publicly without clearance from the party (even though they support her view). They accused her of deliberately seeking confrontation by making very controversial remarks and by not sticking to the party line. However, her fellow party Parliamentarians stuck by her.
-- in 2002, 21 Islamic countries (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) complained about her comments to the Dutch parliament in a letter, demanding an apology
-- it was while she was in hiding (in USA, for a few months in 2002) that she switched political parties. I guess we can claim that our more conservative environment played a role
-- "Millions of Muslim women all around the world are oppressed in the name [of] Islam. As a woman who was brought up with the tradition of Islam, I think it's not just my right but also my obligation to call these things by the name."
-- Last year she apologized for referring to Islam as a backward religion in previous years (probably to help save her life). However, she remains one of Islam's sharpest critics in Europe.
-- "And I think that is also another horrible side of Islam - the fact that there is absolutely no toleration."
I'm surprised that European and American feminists haven't taken up her charge. Then again, she's too conservative for their taste (and she's a centrist). U.S. conservative media must support her, so she has some backup when even her own Dutch conservative party wants to rein her in.
Well, okay, she quacks like a duck.
Everyone should read "Rage and Pride." Rabia e Orgullo. You have to love her. My Sicilian friends have nothing but good words for her.....and the US.
I understand even Brigitte Bardot of all people is an activist these days in France, and has been sued there, I think.